The CEO Is Obsessed With Me

Somehow I had slept off, and I was woken up by a soft knock on my door. My neck throbbed as I rose to my feet, my gaze lingering on the empty couch as I let out a long sigh.

Luke was gone, leaving behind a deep stain on my couch. It was the only thing that reminded me of his presence, that he was here, bleeding to death.

I looked down at my hands, at the blood that had dried on my newly manicured nails. The knocking persists, and my heart rate picks up. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared, maybe it was the police?

I rushed to the bathroom to clean myself up, it wouldn’t do well for me to walk out looking like a victim of a horror movie. Yesterday was indeed horrific, it was devastating. Where could he have gone? Couldn’t he have waited for his wound to stop bleeding at least? And more importantly, how did he get badly hurt?

And why would my apartment be the first place he showed up?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I saved his life. But the pieces are not just clicking. Each time I feel like I’m starting to understand the CEO, he does something that makes him more of a mystery.

But yesterday was…..

‘Don’t leave…’

I didn’t know he could make such a desperate expression. The look in his eyes…. harbored loneliness. I knew this well, it was a look that had lingered in the gaze of someone once dear to me, and it haunted them till their very end.

Or was it just his will to live?

The CEO squeezed my hand so tightly, almost like he was afraid I would disappear before him. I couldn’t deny that it made my heart ache with worry and something else- though I couldn’t describe what it was.

I quickly returned to the living room, carrying with me a blanket to hide the patch of blood on my couch. I scrubbed the floors also, and you would think whoever was at the door would’ve left, but they remained there, having the patience of a saint.

The knocking was steady and persistent, and each rap echoed through my entire being. My visitor was persistent, and this made me a little nervous. Luke had left but had managed to lock the door without shutting me in. I realized that as I reached for the handle.

How did he do that?

I hesitated for a moment, my grip on the handle tightening as I chewed on my bottom lip.

What if it was someone looking for Luke?

Someone dangerous?

Was this related to what happened at his villa?

What if they knew he had been here?

Or was it the CEO himself?

My heartbeat sped up at the last thought, but I snapped out of my daze as the knocking got sharper, losing its earlier patience. I gulped my spit, gathering all the courage I had left. I opened the door just a crack, peering through the narrow gap.

It wasn’t Luke, and my heart sank to the bottom of my stomach. Instead, it was a lanky, tired-looking man with a buzz cut, dressed in a delivery outfit. His arms were adorned with tattoos, one of which caught my eye: a serpent coiled around a dagger.

“Morning, ma’am,” he said with a gruff voice. “I was sent by Mr. Graham to change your couch.”

I blinked in confusion. “Change my couch?”

He nodded, holding up a clipboard. “Yes, ma’am. He arranged for it early this morning. Said it was urgent.”

I stared at him, my mind going blank. It caught me off guard, adding to the tangled vines of questions that circled in my head.

The couch? Really?

How could Luke have arranged this so quickly? Wasn’t this the same man that was on death’s doorstep last night?

The delivery man must have sensed my hesitation because he flipped the clipboard around to show me a signature. My brows furrowed, but I soon recognized the fine curve of lines immediately. It was unmistakably the CEO’s signature, bold and precise, just like the ones he signs at work.

Reluctantly, I stepped aside, allowing the man and his subordinates to enter. They worked swiftly, removing the blood-stained couch and replacing it with a new one. I watched them, still bewildered by the entire situation.

They all had unreadable expressions on their faces as they worked, picking up the bloody couch like they were it was nothing. No shock registered on their faces, almost like they were used to it, like it was a norm.

How strange. From the looks of it, they weren’t ordinary delivery men, because no one in their right mind would be so calm doing this. Could they be Luke’s men? Henchmen?

I shook my head at the thought. It was absurd. Why would the CEO need henchmen?

The process was quick As they were about to leave, the tattooed man turned to me, gracing me with a curt nod.

“Wait!” I called out to him, and he simply looked at me over his shoulder, brows arched.

“Is there anything else you need ma’am?” It was a simple question, but his voice was cold all of a sudden.

I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, my hands balling into fists at my sides.

“Did… Mr. Graham leave a message for me?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“I’m just following orders, ma’am.” He replied, and with that, he and his team left, leaving me standing in the middle of my living room, a brand-new couch in place of the old one. The silence that followed was deafening, filled with unanswered questions and growing unease.

What the hell was going on?

***

“He’s not in today as well?”

The CEO’s secretary shook her head, and my shoulders sagged in disappointment. I shift my gaze to the door of his office, the ache in my chest increasing. It’s been two long weeks since I last saw the CEO, I waited anxiously for a message or anything, but I got nothing.

It was like the man disappeared into thin air.

I came to work because I didn’t want to sit at home doing nothing, it was suffocating.

My new job was tied to him, and if he wasn’t around, it meant I would have to wait. But I was good and tired of waiting.

Do I miss him? No no…definitely not. I was just worried because I stitched his wounds, like the way a doctor would worry for his patient. It was normal…Right?

I turned to leave, but my steps faltered as the scent of luxurious wine tickled my nostrils.

“Good afternoon.” Veronica Montague’s soft voice greeted my ears, or itched them rather. She waltzed into the reception like she owned the place, dressed to the nines in an elegant navy blue dress.

She paired the dress with matching stiletto heels, a pearl necklace, and a designer purse. Her hair was styled in perfect waves, and her makeup highlighted her unique features perfectly.

Diamond earrings completed her stunning ensemble, sparkling as she moved with an air of confidence that suffocated me.

I was suddenly reminded of her interaction with the CEO, and I hated the fact that it still affected me.

“Good afternoon Miss Montague!” The secretary beamed on seeing her, a more excited reception than the one she gave me. “I’m sorry but the CEO isn’t in today. I could leave a message if you want?”

Veronica smiled at the secretary, reaching into her purse to pull out a few hundred dollar bills. “Thank you, Clara.” She handed the money to Clara, and the young secretary showered her with praises and gratitude.

I scoffed at this, suddenly feeling irritated for some reason. But as I turned to leave, I paused on hearing a call of my name.

“Aurelia is it?” Veronica faced me, brows arched as she feigned ignorance. She was a tall woman and she looked down at me, peering through her lustrous lashes, as she probably judged my very existence.

“Yes,” I answered curtly, annoyance evident in my tone, but I kept a straight face as I matched her gaze. “That’s my name.” I didn’t bother to greet her, because at the moment, we were just two women. I stood before her as Aurelia Ravenwood, not the CEO’s assistant.

Veronica hummed, a small smile curling her lips. “You still have a hard glare when you look at me, does my presence irk you that much?” her tone was surprisingly playful, but I maintained my composure.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” I answered her, looking down at my watch. “If you would excuse me-”

“Tell Arroyal I said Hi.” She interjected, and my heart jumped to my throat. I whipped my head to her, my stoic mask falling.

What?

Veronica seemed satisfied by my reaction, and as I stood frozen in my spot, she drew, her hips swaying with each step she took. I stiffened as she leaned forward to whisper in my ear.

“The man can only handle so many women.”

With that, she turned sharply on her heels, disappearing along the curve of the hallway.